Newport News, Va. – A Newport News woman is no longer being held responsible for rent money stolen from her apartment complex’s rental office.

“They only doing it because y’all showed up,” said Gwendolyn Young, a tenant at Hanover Apartments in Newport News. “If you hadn’t shown up, they’d still be looking for July’s rent.”

Up until last week, Hanover Apartments managers were still holding Young responsible for July rent, even though she showed proof the money order was cashed by someone in Florida. NewsChannel 3 tried to get answers from apartment managers last week, but they would offer no comment. Days after that encounter, Hanover put a notice on Young’s door indicating she is not being held responsible for July rent.

“It’s still hurtful,” she said. “I don’t care what they tell me. You can’t undo that. You can’t break people’s heart and their spirit and say, ‘Oh, forget about it’.”

A Hanover Apartment manager would not go on camera Tuesday, but she said off camera that it wasn’t our news coverage that led to their decision. She said they were in the process of coming to that conclusion.

Young does not agree with their statement.

“You didn’t take my word for it,” Young said. “You waited until the cameras came and then all of a sudden you’re telling me everything’s going to be okay for July.”

Newport News police told NewsChannel 3 there have been at least three other rent payment thefts from Hanover. Authorities believe it may be connected to rent payment thefts at six other locations in the city.